Srinagar: Anyone who has to bring dairy animals into Jammu and Kashmir will now have to complete a series of paperwork. This is against the current scheme of transportation in which the movement is absolutely free.
According to the new guidelines, buyers will first have to get registered, have the animals profiled, and then keep the animals in quarantine after bringing them into Kashmir. Navin K Chaudhary, Principal Secretary for Animal Husbandry, has issued these new Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the transportation of dairy animals, which he believes will prevent illegal trading.
“As on date, there is no laid down procedure for import of dairy animals into JK. There is a need to issue SOPs to streamline the transportation of dairy animals,” Chaudhary said.
He informed that the buyer will have to register animals at the animal husbandry post with details of the animals. On arrival in Kashmir, the animals will be quarantined for disease surveillance, during which their health will be profiled as well, he added.
“The animals shall be tagged, vaccinated, and fitness certificate will be issued within minimum possible time,” he said.
According to the order, SHO Lakhanpur has been tasked to verify the credentials of the vehicle/ driver and his documents (DL, RD, Aadhar, etc) before issuing a verification report to the CAHO Kathua.
“CAHO Kathua shall recommend the case to DM Kathua, along with health certificate and verification report of SHO Lakhanpur, for issuance of movement pass,” the order specifies.
Chaudhary said that the order is meant to prevent illegal trading of dairy animals. However, traders and buyers are apprehensive that it will delay the process and will create a system of corruption.
A dairy animal buyer, Shera Abdul Rasheed, told Kashmir Reader that the Jammu-Srinagar highway through which the animals are ferried will become another hassle once the new system is put in place.
“We are also against illegal trading but it should be done in a way that will make the ferrying easy, not difficult, not a burden on the buyer. The new system helps the corrupt more than us. Government should have second thoughts about it,” he said.

Junaid Nabi Bazaz